Today beautiful San Meredith over at A Life With A View has bestowed upon me the Excellent Blogger Award! Can you believe it? A beautiful artist and wonderful blogger like San has given me an award for excellence? I am truly honored. Wow, so now I have to identify 10 excellent bloggers! Oh boy, this is going to take some serious thinking as there are so many excellent bloggers. I am going to break this up a little bit, though. Here are a few for today:1. Chewy because she shares some wonderful parts of her life, great art and truly lovely poetry. She writes "The Back of My Headboard. A Place to Stick It."
2. Elis, over at "Into the Blysitc", who not only writes an excellent blog, but creates some incredible art. She is always willing to share what she knows, too.
3. Kate, who writes "Kate's Corner", who is always willing to share so much of her glass art, local art, painting and life.
4. Andrea, at Cestandrea, who writes, paints, plays and shares so much of her self and her life life from Paris.
5. Sukipoet who also shares so much of all she sees every day on her blog. Suki writes "Paints, Poems and Ponderings".
Each of these bloggers always has something special to share if it is on their own blogs or by commenting on other blogs. I will be sharing 5 other bloggers in a later post.
You might remember the following piece I shared with you in an earlier post. I received some comments not to touch the weaving from how it appeared in the photo...although it was not near completion and the photo was shown as a WIP.
I took the advice given to me and fixed the pieces in place as they appeared in the photograph. I cleaned up the edges and mounted the weaving on an additional piece of rice paper. After this dried, I mounted the entire "fixed in place" piece onto black Fabriano Tiziano art paper.
My plans now will be to mount this onto a wood panel and frame it. As you can see there are quite a few loose and twisted bits to this piece. If you have any thoughts or ideas about how I might proceed with this, please do not hesitate to let me know. It will be quite some time before I can get this framed, so if you can think of any other steps I should include, by all means speak up.Below you can see a closer photograph of the details of this piece:
I really appreciate so very much everyones participation on this blog. It is really helpful to me and I hope to everyone else. If there are other things you would like to see me do here, please do not hesitate to speak up. If you know of anyone you would like to see in conversation with me, let me know. If you would like to have a conversation with me, let me know. So the main questions for today is: How can I make this blog better? And how can I make my art better?
I look so forward to hearing from each of you! Thank you so much San for the beautiful award. I look forward to sharing 5 other bloggers, but for now visit these blogger's sites!
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31 comments:
Kim, thank you so much for the honorable mention. Much appreciated.
I'm so glad you decided to leave your recent work "as is". I would love to see the finished masterpiece in a future blog.
I think your blog is supberb just as it is, too. As for your art? Well, only you know how to make it better. As they say, beauty is in the eye... But from what I've seen, you're near the top.
Hi Kate, you very much deserve the award. It takes a great deal to keep a blog like yours!
Yes, I am glad you think that works well...once I get it mounted and framed I will show it again.
Thanks a lot for saying you like the blog as it is...but don't hesitate to let me know if you think of something which would make it better or which you would like to see here. I am always looking to make improvements.
You are very kind, indeed.
Thanks Kate!
Kim, thank you for saying such kind things about me--you do make me glow. And I am eager to check out the other blogs you've passed the E to. Chewy's I already know well--ROCKIN' choice!!!
As to your questions regarding how to make better your art/blog? You know what they say--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Not only are they not broke--you art and your blog--they enrich my blogtime immensely.
Keep on keepin' on...
Thanks San! I know you will enjoy the other blogs! They are also awesome. As you can see, I like the way you split them up, so I did the same. 10 at once is tough.
Yeah, I know what they say, but I am always looking to improve. Wurzerl (the German gardening blogger) also says without blog readers, blogging isn't anything. You know? So tell me if you think of anything.
I am glad to know you feel enriched by visiting here. I am honored by your presence, I can tell you that!
Thanks San!
P.S. Just did a whirlwind tour of the award-winning blogs. They are all rockin' choices and I realize that I'm also familiar with Andrea, although she's a newer friend than Chewy.
Wow. Kim. You are so sweet. Thank you for this lovely award. I will try to live up to it.
Your blog has always impressed me, I love the way you show the experiments you are working on, and describe the processes you are going through. I am impressed also at how good you are in commenting on everyone's comments left in your comment section. I try to do it for my blog, but somehow get overwhelmed.
Ok now I'll check out the other blog award winners. Several I know, several I don't. Be well, Kim and thank you again for all your kind comments.
PS I forgot to say. I love that weaving. The idea, the colors. I think it is going to be gorgeous when you have it all up and framed.
You are so welcome, Suki! You already do live up to it! :)
Well, thank you for your kind words, but please don't hesitate to give me guidance when you think I can do better.
I like commenting on comments because I really do like talking about art and talking about the things other people are doing with creative endeavors. If I can get conversations going here I really love that. Also, all of the comments give me other ideas for posts...I am always looking around for ideas to post about :)
You are going to love the other blogs! We are really quite lucky to have such a wonderful group of sharing people in our blog group! Artists are really incredible humans.
I am glad you like the weaving...they are fun to do, but I am always at a loss as to what to do with them. When Lynette saw this one she thought the composition in place as the working photo was nicely composed...then Babs encouraged it and I was off with the idea. I will show it fully completed!
Thanks Suki!
Hi Kim,
The content of your blog is perfect. It's educational, thought provoking, stimulating and creative.
My suggestion would be to think about changing the colors in your blog. It's known in the graphic field that text reversed out of black is more difficult to read. Especially red text on black.
To me, a black page blog is like crawling into a hole. Deep, dark and enveloping. I find the blackness overpowering the art. It closes in on the photos/paintings.
I've never been in a black walled gallery and I have not seen many black paged books.
What do you think, Kim? You don't have to agree with me. Most of us are artists and have a high degree of taste and sense of design. Since you asked about how to improve... as a professional graphic designer, my suggestion is change the black. (smile)
Hi San,
I am glad you liked the other choices for the award! They are really awesome, uh?
Thanks for returning to let us know your thoughts.
Thank you so much, Chewy! I am glad you like the content of this blog...that is important to me to hear from you.
And equally as important is hearing your thoughts on the Black background! You are right, you are the graphic professional and I designed this as an interior design professional with the thinking of black making the colors pop...which it does. I also approached that with the thoughts most artwork purchased (not in galleries or museums) is not hung on white walls. So that was my thinking.
So what you bring up is an interesting thought and one to be seriously considered. I am not saying I will make the change, but I am saying I will contemplate it and speak to others about it, too. I don't think I will ever go to complete white, though, as I am too much of a rebel and that heavy back lighting does a real number on my own eyes.
I find it interesting you feel the black is like crawling into a deep, dark hole which encroaches on what is on the page! I have had others say it is great how the artwork pops against it...other artists. But you know we all see/feel things differently and are all affected by where we are physically located. And...most of those who have spoken about enjoying it have lived in more sunny/warmer areas, too. And speaking of that, I have seen that same issue come up with my students. Interesting, isn't it?
But okay, Chewy, I will seriously consider this issue. And if anyone else has problems seeing/reading on this blog due to the black background, please let me know.
Thanks Chewy for your honesty and willingness to speak up! I appreciate it.
I think of my own blog space as a wall. Hmm? As an interior designer, Kim, how many people have black walls? Think about color theory. Black is depressing. In my opinion, even a neutral color would be better.
Thank you for considering my suggestion and replying with the reason for your choice. Ultimately the decision is up to you. I, too, would like to hear other's thoughts on this.
Kim, first of all: thanks so much for this award, and for always being there with your great art, your experiments and your generosity to share everything with us. I feel very honoured and will pass the award on (sometimes in the past I have forgotten it, am not so good at keeping my own schedules) or give it back to my blogreaders. Thanks so much.
About your beautiful piece: this piece will look great on wooden panel and the framed. I like the opposition so much: stucture and free gesture marks. And the bits and ends "flying" adds so much movement and life to the whole thing§
HAve a great day
Andrea
:) I love this conversation!
You are right, not too many people have black walls, but not the majority of people do not use interior designers, either. The interesting thing is there are some incredible intensely dark hued walls in a lot of interiors. Black, being one of the neutrals, is used in interior design consistently to make colors pop (granted, it isn't often used on walls...but I have seen some excellent examples over my 30+ years in the business). I think the main difference is I am used to working with a very large canvas in interior design. One of the most stunning interiors I have ever seen was a large, light filled room in an older home in Pennsylvania which was painted a very, very dark gray all over...right up to the glass in the windows. That was the canvas base and it made the remainder of the room zing! It was actually a welcome center for a college...and welcoming it was.
But I am considering it! I take these thoughts seriously and recognize we all have a variety of comfort levels.
Color psychology, in this culture, says black is equally depressing and elegant. Color theory says black intensifies other colors.
Hello Andrea!
You are so deserving of this award! So very deserving! It is difficult for me to imagine how you get all of it done!
I really appreciate your thoughts on this piece. As you know I normally do not work on panels, but this piece really needed to be mounted on paper first. I always feel so encouraged by the comments here and people are so generous with them. Once I get this mounted, I will share the final product with everyone.
I know you are so busy just now, so don't worry about getting to the award just yet! I am so slow with getting to some things...usually things I don't want to do or things which involve getting the help of others... :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and give me support and a helping hand.
Have a Lovely Day!
Kim,
Okay, you like the color popping against the black. I'll give you that. The room you describe is large and filled with reflective light. Computer screens emit light, the light comes from behind.
Hmm... These blog templates keep the pics small and you have a lot of text, I find the readability is hard on the eyes, especially to people with astigmatism. - My eyes are old. (chuckle)
May I point out that dark walls in rooms may have pictures hanging on them but don't have text typed on them.
We can share our opinions and agree or disagree and still be friends, right? (smile)
You are so right, the light comes from behind on the computer and you understand that so much better than I do. I am from the old school and can't imagine doing work sitting at a computer all day...although that is what interior designers (and I am sure you do as well) do all day long! Hats off to you!!!!! You are a better woman that I.
Sure, Chewy, I am sure I have older eyes than yours! LOL I might play with sizes a bit here, because what you say makes tons of sense. I am no good with a lot of computer manipulation...I feel like I can do a lot just to get this blog to do the things I am getting it to do...but I might give that a try.
Your point about the text makes tons of sense! I am going to see what I might do about that, too. Maybe I should warn people I am going to be playing around with some of this here. :) Or set up another private blog to play around with.
OF COURSE! We can sure disagree and still be friends! I know a lot of people don't agree with me, but I am me...it is hard to get anything else out of me than that! I hope the same is true for you! In all seriousness, I honestly do appreciate your point of view on this. While we are both designers, we work in very different "mediums"...this is your area and I respect that! On the other hand, I am old and stubborn even if I do want to continue to learn. Yup, you will not get rid of me this easy, Chewy! :)
Thanks So Very Much!
Oh! How rude of me not to thank you for the award. (I apologize) It's very uplifting and encouraging to be recognized. Thank you very much. (hugs)
Not at all, my friend! That award is well deserved...you are an excellent inspiration to so many of us! Thanks for hanging out here, too!
Here are hugs back to you! :)
Kim, I guess I'm a rebel like you with the black background in my blog. :)
I also love how the colors look so intense against the black background. I've heard one solution is to highlight the whole post and it will turn the background white instead of black. I had thought about changing mine but decided against it for two reasons. I just like the way it looks with the black background and second reason, I'm scared to death to mess with the template LOL...afraid I'll mess up my whole blog and not be able to fix it! A huge congratulations on your award, you definitely deserve it lady because your blog is A1 great!!!
Tee Hee, Lynette!
What a great idea for being able to see it if you have issues with the black! When I highlighted it came up blue, though I didn't do the whole page.
You are funny...but I so get it about worrying about changing everything.
I really do appreciate your input, Lynnette!
Hi Kim
Thanks so much for awarding my blog! You know I would give it right back to you if I could! I love the content of your blog and the way you always encourage dialogue!!! I used to have a black blog [and have to admit I loved the way the artwork looks against it!!!] but I got alot of complaints about how hard it was on people's eyes that I changed it to blue [the darkest colour available without going to black lol] namaste Elis.
Hello Elis!
Of course you clearly deserve this award...I am honored to know you would give it back.
Thank you for saying you love the content of this blog and the black, too. It is funny, I would do the very same thing if I changed this...probably take that blue, too. But I think the larger photos and font are going to do the trick! So far, there is a lot of support out there.
I have to also say I am having a great time over at your blog...some of your recent stuff is over the top incredible!
Thanks Elis.
kGot a lot of fun out of reading the exchange between yourself and Chewy over black. May I say that technically speaking, changing the colors is very very easy on blogger. I have changed background and text colors a lot and I am no computer whizz.
As I noted on your more recent post, the black is harder on the eyes for me than a softer color. Also I do like the larger print. That is something I have tried to set up on my blog but haven't succeeded for some reason.
The grey room, that was used for occasional meetings and gatherings rather than being lived in day after day it sounds like. I must say I did meet a woman once who said everything in her house was either black or white. But not sure if it was the walls that were black. A bit harsh for me even just imagining it.
In a house, I prefer off white walls and then using colors in furnishings. I find off white calming. But I'm no interior decorator.
So I await to see what solution you come up with. How lovely that you are open to discussing your personal blog choices and listening to our druthers. Be well, Suki
Hi Suki...I am glad you liked the back and forth! We all have our opinions about such things, don't we? In my mind that is what makes life interesting...being respectful of differences.
I am glad to know making a change is easy on blogger.
It is interesting you brought up the subject of the gray walls...that was in a much used space where people would sit for hours at a time and clearly there were people who worked there full-time. It was very peaceful.
I have also thought about other places where art is for sale which do not have white walls. There is/was a gallery I visited here in Virginia which had one brick wall with art hanging on it. Having the background I do I was interested in the psychology of color in retail, so I asked about how the art was chosen to be hung on the brick wall as opposed to the cream colored walls. I thought they would say something about the colors of the paintings in relationship to the brick color. Nope! Do you know what I was told? It didn't matter what they hung there it always sold! LOL Then there was another gallery in a small town I know which did have very dark...like gray...walls throughout. You would think this wouldn't be since the only windows were at the front of the gallery...but the lighting and the walls worked together in concert to showcase the art in the most incredible way! It was warm and stunning! So there are two examples of galleries with non-white walls. It goes to show it can work great and we should not be afraid to place art against intensely colored walls, if we like.
Now I am not sure about an all black and white house...like color too much! But it was apparently comfortable to this person. I think the point is what is comfortable for some is not as comfortable to others. And you can see that from the posts on this blog, too.
I am not sure what I will do at this point. But, for now, anyway, the background will probably stay dark, if not black. But I never say never, either.
What I have to do to get the large font is click on the icon next to the font pull-down when I am writing a post. When that pops up, I click on "Large". See if that works for you. I don't think I can set it to remain, though.
Thanks Suki for taking the time to give me your opinion here. I really do have a HUGE interest in the thoughts of others.
OK re: type yes I was trying to get it to be default. I don't think I'd have the patience to click on it anew for each post.
Interesting about the walls in the galleries. A brick wall. Hey, maybe we should all have one of those if the pictures sell from the brick wall. Sounds a good idea.
Be well, Suki
Hi Suki,
I am sorry I can't help you with the default for the larger font. Maybe someone else here can help with that. You might be able to go into blogger and set a default...I just haven't explored that.
I agree...we all need a brick wall for display! LOL...it was one of those old warehouse walls...it looked great, but I would have never, ever guessed that response! You just never know how things will be received.
Thanks Suki!
Hi Kim,
Congratulations on your award and thanks for the recommendations.
I love the piece you're working on. Is it not finished? How about some of those gold flakes?
I don't think you could make this blog any better! It's wonderful! I gwt so much from reading your posts!
Anytime Fiona!
Ohhh, the gold flakes...good idea!
I really do need to mount this on a panel...wood...right now it is all paper! :)
Thank you Fiona....that means so much from you!
So glad you're framing that woven work 'as is'.
LOVE IT!
Also feel you should frame your blog 'as is'.
Love it too.
Hi Babs,
Thanks to you and Lynette I am doing this...SOMETIMES I listen to others :)
Awe, you are so sweet, Babs! Can we frame you?
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